Chapter 204: Rivals

The next morning during the weighted runs, Shen Lie called Wang Yunzheng to his side and said a few words. Hence, the chant for the day's run changed from the familiar Thousand-Character Classic that all disciples knew to The Analects of Confucius, which Wang Yunzheng and Shen An enjoyed.

Song Luo nearly laughed out loud when she recalled the teasing remark made the previous night before bed.

On the other hand, Qin Fangniang, who had stayed outside the valley the day before, heard them from afar and was dumbfounded. She turned to Chen Youtian and asked, "Do they read books while running every day?"

Chen Youtian's dark face was filled with a smile. "Yes, not only do they read while running, but they also write during their breaks from martial arts practice. Ah Lie requested this, and Qinghe regularly assesses their progress. That's why it's good for Ershan to stay here. His skills have improved, and he can now recognize and write many characters."

He continued to Qin Fangniang, "Actually, it's not just our valley. If you follow behind, you'll see that young boys and men living nearby run a distance behind them. They just don't dare to come near where we're staying. They even secretly learn the staff techniques."

Qin Fangniang clicked her tongue in amazement. After not being out for a while, she felt like the world had changed.

In the cave, Chen Dashan had tasted the pleasures of love the previous night and was now entangled with Zhou Ge. The cave door was tightly sealed, so he could still convince Zhou Ge earlier that it was not yet dawn. However, with the loud reading voices outside, how could he continue to persuade her that it was still dark? He was mortified and refused to give in. Zhou Ge quickly got up to pay respects to her in-laws by serving them tea.

However, Zhou Ge had only met her mother-in-law, sister-in-law, and grandparents-in-law on the first few days. The day after her third day visit, when she woke up early again, only Chen Youtian and Chen Ershan were left in the wooden house.

She looked at Chen Dashan doubtfully. He explained, "My grandparents, mother, and younger sister live elsewhere and have already returned. Now that you've married into the family, I won't hide this from you. When there's an opportunity in the future, I'll take you there."

Zhou Ge's eyes widened slightly, and without hesitation, she shook her head. "No, I'll stay here. You don't have to tell me about it for now."

She had indeed sensed something was off. Among the families that had left together, they had only seen Zhou Dalang to Zhou Siliang from the Zhou family, but not Zhou Cunzheng, the womenfolk, or the two youngest children. The Shi family was missing Shi Erlang's wife and a few kids, while the Lu family consisted only of Lu Erlang and Lu Sanlang.

Initially, she thought they might be in the caves or their houses, unwilling to join the festivities. But after two days, they still hadn't shown up. It would be strange if adults went hunting or gathering, but also took the young children with them.

However, Zhou Ge remembered her mother's words when they first entered the inner circle. She didn't feel curious, and only now, with the absence of her elders that morning, did she start to feel puzzled.

Seeing her shake her head so quickly, Chen Dashan, overwhelmed with affection, found her even more endearing. He smiled and said, "There's no need to go there now, and I wouldn't want you to anyway. But when you return home, don't mention anything about what we discussed. Even though I think your parents might have an inkling."

How could Chen Dashan not know that her uncles had only escorted her to the edge of the village before leaving?

In fact, both the Feng and Gan families maintained a certain distance from each other, while still offering mutual support.

Whether it was the Zhou family, the Feng family, or the Gan family, they might not know everything, but keeping a certain distance between small groups was an unspoken understanding in this world.

Hugging Zhou Ge, he continued, "That place is another hideout for our families, a fallback during chaotic times. Don't worry, if it ever gets so bad that we need to hide to avoid trouble, I won't abandon your parents. But those with real ambitions are causing trouble outside. Those who venture into the mountains are either seeking refuge or trying to avoid conflict. There may be truly wicked people among them, but they likely won't form significant forces. Both our villages are strengthening our defenses, so we should be able to protect ourselves."

Zhou Ge nodded, fully trusting her husband on this matter.

...

On the fourth day of Chen Dashan's wedding, Zhou Ge also joined the martial arts training. However, with no prior experience, she was placed at the back and taught separately by Chen Dashan. Most of the time, she practiced with Sang Luo.

With his wife now learning martial arts, would Chen Dashan slack off? Fortunately, Shen Lie was fully engrossed in his studies, gladly passing the responsibility to him.

When Zhou Ge trained with Sang Luo, Gan would occasionally join in when she had nothing else to do. From afar, she saw Shen Lie studying with Wei Qinghe, occasionally asking questions or writing on the sandboard for clarification. She then commented to Sang Luo, "Why does your Shen Lie seem more dedicated to reading than Yunzheng and Little An?"

Could Sang Luo admit that it was all due to her playful tease?

Due to the limitations of bamboo scrolls, a complete volume of "The Analects" contained only three chapters and around two thousand characters, many of which were not included in "A Thousand Character Classic." Yet, Shen Lie picked up the text rather swiftly.

Recalling how she had intentionally provoked him last night, resulting in him pinning her down on his lap, she noticed that despite his labored breathing, he refrained from doing anything but caressing her lips with his fingertips. He whispered almost against her ear, "Just wait, I only have two more chapters left to memorize."

That gaze, voice, and the warm, tantalizing breath against her ear made Sang Luo's heart race shamefully.

How many encounters had they shared thus far?

Shen Lie knew how to ignite her desire.

...

With food, shelter, martial arts, and books, life in the mountains was tranquil and peaceful. The simplicity of it all carried a hint of an idyllic, secluded existence, so much so that one could almost forget that the world beyond was still in turmoil.

But such an illusion was merely that – an illusion.

On the first day of the twelfth lunar month, snow began to fall in the mountains.

It was no longer just the peaks of the highest mountains; the snowflakes filled the sky, accumulating deeply. With each step, one's entire shoe would sink into the thick layer of snow.

Shen Lie simply discontinued his morning exercises, allowing everyone to huddle indoors for the winter. The fur coats that Sang Luo and Shen Ning had prepared earlier were finally worn by the whole family.

A gang of rambunctious lads wouldn't sit still for the winter; hunting pheasants in the snow was easier than before, so they'd set off in groups early each day to explore the nearby mountains. Each had their own means of self-preservation, and thus the adults didn't interfere.

In the second year of the transmigration, the weather was much colder than the first. The snow persisted until the sixth day of the twelfth lunar month before it ceased. Fortunately, while this mountain lacked everything else, it was abundant in firewood. Otherwise, Sang Luo would have been at a loss as to how those hiding in the mountains would endure such a frigid winter.

Life in the outer village was relatively comfortable. On this Laba Festival day, every household fittingly began to brew their Laba porridge, and even before the porridge had fully cooked, the sweet fragrance of simmering mixed beans already filled the air. It should have been a warm and cozy time for celebrating the festival, yet by the time the porridge was perfectly prepared, both Shen Jin and Shen An had not yet returned home.

A fire was lit in the cave during the day, and the door remained open. Sangluo and Shen Ning kept looking outside, unsure of how many times they had done so. They saw Erniu and Zhourang returning from afar. Zhourang went to another house, while Erniu headed straight for them, calling out "Master" from a distance.

Sang Luo's heart skipped a beat, and Shen Lie had already strode forward to greet them.

"Master, there are intruders entering the inner circle, about forty or fifty people. Xiao Jin seems to have recognized some of the enemies who harmed Tian Ya, and has followed them. They are heading towards the Zhou family's village. I was sent back to deliver this message."

Both Shen Lie and Sang Luo's expressions changed, but fortunately, Xu Wenqing, Xu Wenhong, Sanlang, Ershan, and Daniu were present. Though Xu Wenbo, Shen An, and Shen Jin were younger and less powerful, their months of martial arts training had not been in vain.

Shen Lie turned around and grabbed his knife and bow, instructing Sang Luo, "I'm going out with Uncle Lu and Uncle Lu. Gather the rest of the villagers in this house. It's unlikely that anyone would come this way, but it'll be safer if they stay together."

This is what keeps Chen Dashan and most of the able-bodied youth here.

Sang Luo considered the opposing group of forty or fifty people and frowned. She decided to grab her staff and bow, then called out to Shen Ning, "The door is locked. Let's go out together."

The entrance to the valley was usually well-concealed, and now, buried under the thick snow, there was no need to worry about it being discovered. There was no point in staying behind.

Families living even further away from Shen Lie's had also received the news. Not only the able-bodied men, but even Zhou Ge followed Chen Dashan out. Xu Wenying was also among the Xu family members.

Well, there was no need for further encouragement. Everyone swiftly armed themselves and locked their doors before hurriedly following Niú Èr and Zhou SiLang, who were leading the way.

Xu Wenqing and the others weren't concerned about lacking assistance, as the footprints left in the snow were too clear to miss.

It took over two hours to reach the vicinity of the Zhou family's village, where one would catch sight of human activity. But this group was accustomed to using morning weighted sprints as their warm-up; in less than fifteen minutes, they had already found someone.

Too conspicuous, a group of forty or fifty, with nearly forty being robust young men, had already confronted the leading youths of Feng Village.

No sooner had they locked eyes than Xu Wenqing, leading his group of junior disciples, had retreated into the bushes, ready to act opportunistically. However, Shen Lie and his companions arrived promptly. There was no point in hiding anymore; with a soft call to their master, they emerged one by one from behind the shrubs.

With his bow tightly clenched, Shen Jin was tense all over. Upon seeing Shen Lie, he felt a pang of sorrow and said, "Big Brother, the family that married Wang Meiniang is among them. All four brothers are there. It was at their place that my father carried Sweet Girl to and lost her."

When Wang Meimei's family was first married into the village, people were unaware of the circumstances. But once they learned what had happened to Sweet Girl, everyone connected the dots and realized it was the doing of those... beasts.

In an instant, the long sticks, hoes, and axes in Chen Youtian's group's hands tightened. Apart from seven or eight women, there wasn't a single elderly person or child among them; they were all strong, able-bodied men who were associated with those four brothers. Could they be up to any good?

Upon seeing such individuals entering the inner circle, everyone's expressions turned grim.

Shopkeeper Xu and Uncle Xu also looked worried. Glancing at the crowd ahead, they recognized only one of the four brothers, but with a sea of backs facing them, they couldn't tell which one it was.

Scanning the people in front, he noticed that some had also spotted Shen Lie and his companions. Men, women, and adolescents—each of them carried weapons, and bows and arrows were tucked in their backpacks. This setup was eerily similar to the armed villagers who had swarmed out when they first appeared in the previous village!

A gang accustomed to plundering others found themselves, upon entering the inner perimeter and just discovering signs of human activity, promptly surrounded. Upon counting the opposing group's formidable number of young and strong warriors, they realized they were significantly outnumbered. Their confidence wavered, and they turned sideways to retreat, forming an triangular formation with the two approaching parties, attempting to defend against both sides.

The leader had wiped the greed from his face at the sight of the vegetable fields, chicken coops, and houses, and now wore an appearance of wide-eyed innocence. "What's this all about? We're just passing through. Are you saying we can't traverse this land with our staffs and clubs?"

Several elderly gentlemen of the Feng clan, their gaze fixed upon this group, could discern no hint of benevolence. Just as they were about to speak, Shen Lie and Chen Dashan from behind had already advanced with their entourage, closing the distance further.

"Passing through is acceptable, but among you stands one who bears our enmity. Leave that person behind first." As he spoke, he nocked an arrow in his bow and addressed Shen Jin on the side, "Draw your bow and aim at any four you choose. If your strength falters, just point them out to me. Should your arrow miss its mark, my brother here will take care of it with another."

Addressing the group, he continued, "My younger brother's archery skills aren't yet refined. If he were to accidentally hit someone in his reckless rush, that would be your own misfortune. But if anyone tries to flee, I don't recognize any particular foe. Whoever runs will have our arrows in pursuit."

As he nocked his arrow, Chen Youtian and his companions, who could only wield hoes and axes, stood aside. However, his disciples uniformly notched their arrows, transforming the formation in an instant.

On the other side, Feng Dalang, Feng Erlang, and Gan Erlang were genuine disciples of Shen Lie. If their master said there was an enemy among them, there was no need for further discussion. They lined up in a row with a swooshing sound, also readying their arrows.

If these three were considered disciples, those young men who had learned from them could be deemed as unofficial grand-disciples. Without being instructed, they followed Feng Dalang's lead, and almost the entire village of young men moved in unison.

It had just been a probe, but within the brief exchange, they found themselves targeted by over seventy arrows. This group of outsiders, who had committed their fair share of misdeeds, broke into a cold sweat beneath their snowy surroundings. Instinctively, they retreated. Recalling Shen Lie's warning, they dared not make a move.

"What enemies? We've just entered!"

Several faces betrayed their anxiety; they were all too aware of their past deeds, yet they didn't recognize Shen Lie or the child beside him. They were furious and wanted to curse, demanding to know which one of them had provoked such a formidable enemy!

But this wasn't the time for internal strife. One of them urgently pleaded, "Don't shoot randomly! Identify the target and explain the conflict first."

Shen Lie, however, had no intention of wasting words. He personally taught Shen Jin archery, so he knew his son's skills well. "Load your arrows," he instructed.

Some of the women in the group screamed, "Don't shoot arrows randomly! Let us scatter!"

The crowd was clearly in chaos. Behind them was a vegetable garden enclosed by wooden fences; there was nowhere to retreat. They rushed to the sides, and Xu Wenqing and the others, who had already guessed the true nature of these people, wouldn't show mercy. As long as someone tried to escape, fearing accidental casualties, they aimed for their legs.

Piercing cries of pain echoed as arrows struck flesh. Shen Jin didn't spare a glance at anyone else, focusing solely on the four brothers who had finally recognized him. He chose one and shot an arrow at him.

From the moment Xu Wenqing fired the first arrow, the group fell into pandemonium. The leading men brandished their swords to block the arrows, angrily declaring, "We'll fight you!"

Their bravery lasted no more than three breaths before they howled in fear, hiding behind a tree with their heads tucked between their arms. The arrows were relentless, but some quickly realized that as long as they remained still, they wouldn't be attacked. They raised their hands and crouched down.

After Shen Jin released his first arrow, Shen Lie immediately followed up with another. Iron arrows were different from bamboo ones, and combined with Shen Lie's strength, even winter clothing couldn't withstand the impact.

To minimize collateral damage, Shen Lie mostly aimed for their legs.

When Shen Jin saw an enemy kneel, he trembled as he nocked a second arrow. The trio of brothers had already started fleeing in three separate directions.

This display caught everyone's attention. Shen Lie and Chen Dashan each shot two arrows, while Gan Erlang and Feng Dalang took one each. The trio of brothers were now too terrified to move their legs much, for Shen Lie and Chen Dashan's iron arrows had nearly pierced through their thighs.

Shen Lie then asked Shen Jin, "Are these the four?"

Shen Jin's grip on his bow tightened. "Yes."

...

After such enmity was forged, how could they really let this group escape? Shen Lie recounted the grudge they held against the four brothers. The faces of the Fengs, Zous, Gans, and Zhongs all changed. Those with bows and those with long rods narrowed the circle around them.

It was when they surrounded the group that Butcher Zheng, holding a cleaver in his left hand, and his sons from the Zheng family paled. One of the young women, whose leg had been hit by an arrow, seeing that she had been recognized by the Zhengs, began crying and begging for mercy. "In-laws, in-laws, I'm Big Girl's sister-in-law. Save me!"

"Save you?" Butcher Zheng's murderous intent flared up. With a sudden charge, he swung his cleaver down with his left hand.

The cleaver struck the woman's leg, but Zheng Dalang pulled his father back. Looking at the group, his gaze turned scrutinizing as he examined each person.

"Fiends, a pack of fiends, not one of you shall escape today."